Loss of wetlands due to climate change

Loss of wetlands due to climate change in Alberta is accelerating and has wide-ranging ecological and economic consequences. This loss is driven by changes in precipitation and temperature patterns, increased drought and fire risks, and impacts on hydrology, all of which undermine wetland persistence and function.

Key climate-change-related impacts on Alberta’s wetlands:

• Increased Temperature and Variable Precipitation: Climate models predict that Alberta will experience higher temperatures and unpredictable precipitation, particularly in the southern and prairie regions. This results in longer dry periods and more intense rainfall events, which puts extra pressure on wetland ecosystems145.

• Drying and Disappearance of Small Wetlands: Smaller, shallow wetlands—common in the Prairie Pothole Region—are especially vulnerable. Under current climate projections, many of these wetlands are expected to dry out more frequently, which both directly leads to their disappearance and increases their chances of being converted to other land uses14.

• Conversion of Permanent Wetlands to Seasonal: Even historically permanent wetlands may shift to seasonal status, with greater fluctuations in water levels. This reduces their capacity to store water, regulate floods, and maintain ecological function14.

• Peatlands and Boreal Wetlands at Risk: Peatlands in central and northern Alberta are predicted to shrink in area and could, under conditions of lower water tables and increased wildfire, change from carbon sinks to carbon sources. This has global climate implications due to the large quantities of carbon currently stored in peatlands15.

• Loss of Wetland-dependent Biodiversity: As habitats shrink or shift, species such as waterfowl, amphibians, and wetland plants face reduced populations and increased local extinction risk14.

• Impaired Flood Control and Water Quality: Wetland loss reduces Alberta’s ability to buffer floods and filter water. As precipitation becomes more variable, this heightens flood and drought vulnerability—making the loss of wetlands a compounding risk under climate change267.

• : Destroyed or degraded wetlands, particularly peatlands, can shift from storing carbon to releasing it—exacerbating the very problem of climate change58. For example, 488,000 hectares of destroyed wetlands have already released an estimated 43 million tonnes of carbon in recent decades, roughly equivalent to the emissions of 1.5 million cars over 20 years8.

Current Policy and Adaptation Gaps:

• Alberta’s climate and wetland policies have not yet fully addressed the unique risks that climate change poses to wetlands or integrated wetland conservation as a key climate adaptation and mitigation strategy19.

• The conservation of remaining wetlands, protection of hydrology (including maintaining natural water tables), and restoration of lost or impaired wetlands are increasingly recognized as essential to both reduce Alberta’s vulnerability to climate extremes and limit further climate impacts157.

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• Quantitative data specifically linking climate change to precise wetland loss rates in Alberta remain limited, as natural variability and land use changes often interact with climate-driven stressors45.

• Research is ongoing, particularly regarding localized climate effects (e.g., cooling and humidification from wetlands), and more data will improve understanding of long-term trends8.

: Climate change is a major and growing driver of wetland loss in Alberta through direct drying, altered hydrology, increased fire frequency, and cascading impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Maintaining and restoring wetlands is now considered crucial for climate adaptation, flood mitigation, and carbon management in the province14578.

1. http://www.wetlandpolicy.ca/wetlands-climate-change
2. https://changingclimate.ca/map/wetlands-can-be-infrastructure-too/
3. https://wetlandsalberta.ca/wetland-loss/
4. https://wetland-report.abmi.ca/atlas-home/3.0-Wetland-Impacts/3.3-Agriculture-Climate-Change-Effects.html
5. https://abnawmp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Boreal-Science-Summary-Final_web.pdf
6. https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Wetlands-case-study_April26_EN_Final.pdf
7. https://albertawilderness.ca/wetlands-for-a-sustainable-environment/
8. https://thenarwhal.ca/opinion-prairies-world-wetland-day/
9. https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-wetland-policy-implementation
10. https://elc.ab.ca/post-library/drought-watch-2024-wetlands-drought-management-in-alberta/